Apparatus for readying the thread coming from a supply coil in rewinding machines



oct. 23, 1962 s FRST 3,059,865

APPARATUS FOR READYING THE THREAD COMING FROM A SUPPLY COIL IN REWINDINGMACHINES l Filed Dec. 23, 1957 United States Patent C 3,059,865APPARATUS FR READYING THE TlmEAD COM- ING FROM A SUPPLY COIL IN REWNDINGMACHINES Stefan Frst, Manchen-Gladbach, Germany, assigner to WalterReiners, Munchen-Gladbach, Germany Filed Dec. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 704,755Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 24, 1956 Claims. (Cl. 242-356)My invention relates to a method and apparatus for preparing a woundpackage of textile thread, such as a spinning cop, for re-winding of thethread in a Winding machine.

When the thread of supply coils is rewound from cops or other yarnpackages provided with conical thread layers, it is often preferable topull oif the starting portion of the thread in order to make it freelyaccessible, before placing the cop in unwinding position in the windingmachine. Such a method and apparatus are shown and described in thecopending patent application of W. Reiners and S. Frst, Serial No.640,166 led February 14, 1957, now U.S. Patent 2,936,130. In suchdevices however an excessive length of yarn may be pulled off the cop,particularly when carried out by air suction. The invention isadvantageously applicable in conjunction with the method and devicesdescribed in the said patent application, although the invention is notlimited to this particular manner of use.

An object of the present invention is to limit the pulled-off length ofthread to a predetermined desired amount.

The invention, in one aspect, comprises the pulling-off of the yarn overthe head of a supply coil having conical thread layers, particularlywith the aid of an air current, the run-off of the conical thread layersbeing limited by means of a structure that is placed in contact with thesupply coil along its conical portion.

According to another feature of the invention, a thread pull-olf deviceis disposed in front of the tapering end of the conical coil portion,and a contact body is located at or near the pull-off device so as totouch the uppermost thread layer or to penetrate into the layer, thecontact pressure exerted by the contact body on the conical thread layerbeing such that the pulling force imposed upon the thread by thepull-oliC device can only remove a limited length of thread. Thislimited length comprises that part of the top layer located in front ofthe point of engagement of the contact body.

According to still another feature of the invention, the contactpressure just mentioned is provided by the weight of the supply coilitself. For this purpose, either a fraction of the weight of anindividual cop is utilized, or a multiple of the cop Weight,particularly when using a magazine which accommodates a multiplicity ofsupply coils.

According to still another feature of my invention, a suction tube and aContact body are placed in the immediate vicinity of a supply-coilmagazine, namely at the location of that supply coil which is to beissued next from the magazine. That is, the pulling-off of the threadfrom the supply coil takes place Within the magazine itself. As aresult, when the coil is discharged from the magazine toward theunwinding position in the Winding machine, the thread is already in theposition required for securing a proper gripping thereof by thethreadtying devices of the machine. It is particularly advantageous tomount the contact body on the suction tube itself or to make it anintegral part of the tube.

These objects and features of my invention will be apparent from thepreferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

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FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an automatically or manuallycontrolled coil Winding machine showing the components that perform there-Winding operation, by passing the thread unwound from a supply coilonto a take-up spool;

FlG. 2 illustrates on larger scale a detail of a magazine applicable insuch machines but modified in comparison with the magazine shown in FIG.l; and

FGS. 3 and 4 illustrate schematically two other modications of thesuction and contact devices acting upon the supply coil.

As shown in FIG. l, the machine is provided With a magazine v1l whichaccommodates a number of supply coils here consisting of spinning copswhich have a conical portion 3 at the end last Wound. The lowermost cop3a in the magazine has its conical end located opposite a suction tube4- Which is provided with a contact body 5 formed thereon. The cop 3ahas its uppermost layer of thread, located in the conical portion 3',resting against the contact body 5, so that the contact pressure betweenthe cop and body 5 is due to part of the weight of cop 3a augmented bypart of the weight of the cops 3 located in the magazine above thelowermost cop.

The suction tube 4 is connected with a suction-pressure producer (notillustrated). The magazine is provided with a lock 2 which, whenautomatically or manually reciprocated by a connecting rod 2a,reciprocates about its pivot 2b and thus releases the lowermost. cop 3awhile retaining all other cops in the magazine. When so released the cop3a drops along a slideway 1a into the un- Winding position 3b Where itis speared up and held on an automatically or manually pivoted mandrel`6. The yarn F then runs over two thread brakes 7, and a rotating threadguide 8, onto the take-up spool 9. The rotating thread guide 8 isdriven, preferably at constant speed, and engages the periphery of thebody of yarn wound up on spool 9 thus imparting a substantially constantperipheral speed to the spool, While simultaneously reciprocating thethread F along the spool in a direction parallel to the spool axis. Thespool is revolvably mounted on a carrier 9a which is pivoted to themachine structure at 9b so that the spool is biased against the drivingthread guide 8 by the Weight of the spool and the Weight of the holder9a.

Located `between the two thread Ibrakes and the thread guide 8 is anautomatic tying device 10 which cooperates with two feeder arms 11 and12 which seize and convey the respective thread ends, of the supply cop3b and of the take-up spool 9, to the tying device 10 Where these threadends are knotted together, Whereafter the Winding operation is startedor continued as the case may be. The two feeder arms 11 and 12 arepivotally mounted on the machine structure at 11a and 12a respectively.Each of arms 11 and l2 is essentially a suction tube of arcuate shapehaving a suction nozzle located at the end of the arm, the suctionpressure being supplied through the hol- 10W pivots at 11a and 12a fromthe same source of suction pressure that is connected with thestationary or stationed suction tube 4. In the event of thread break, orwhen a supply cop is exhausted and a .new cop 3b is inserted into themachine, the take-up spool 9 is temporarily driven in reverse directionand the suction tube 11 returns clockwise along the circular pathdenoted by 11b until the suction nozzle at the tip of tube 11 is closeto the take-up spool 9 and pulls the thread end into the interior of thetubular arm 11. Thereafter the arm 11 turns back into the illustratedposition and thus places the thread end from spool 9 in front of thetying device 10. During the same operation the arm 12 turnscounterclockwise along the circular path denoted by 12b, seizes thethread end coming from the cop 3b and then returns to the illustratedposition so that this thread end is likewise located in front of thetying device, which now acts to knot the two thread ends together beforethe winding operation commences or continues. This sequence ofoperations is readily accomplished manually, or preferablyautomatically; for example, by reversing gears and a multiple camarrangement of the type described in Serial No. 640,166, now U.S. Patent2,936,130.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, which is otherwise similar to thataccording to FIG. l, the supply coils in the magazine are locatedhorizontally so that more of the weight of these cops is effective toproduce contact pressure between the cop and the contact body 5.

In the modifications shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the nozzle of suction tube4 is placed closer to or closer about the conical layer of thread on thecop than is the case in the embodiment of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. In FIG. 3the contact body engaging the conical layer portion of the cop 3a isformed by an additional element, namely a leaf spring 14 which isfastened to the suction tube 4. In the embodiment of FIG. 4 a pointedbody l5, a pin for example, is provided, which pin partly penetratesinto the uppermost layer of thread on the cop.

When operation of the `device is initiated, the cop 3a next to be issuedfrom the magazine is first placed, or positioned, opposite the suctiontube `4. The suction in tube 4 then acts upon the few turns of a reservewinding 3c provided upon the tip of the cop core. The suction removesthe reserve winding, pulling and winding the thread end off the coretip. Then, when the thread is sucked into the interior of the tube 4,the suction pulls one or a number of turns off the uppermost layer ofthe main body of the thread. This continues until the thread runsagainst the contact body 5. The contact 1body 5 then prevents thepulling off of any more turns of the yarn. During exchange of a supplycop, the yarn end remains in the suction tube 4 while the cop 3a passesto the unwinding position 3b. Consequently the thread now occupies theposition shown at -F where it extends from the nozzle opening of tube 4over the lower thread brake. The thread is thus located in the activesuction range of the arm 12 when the latter turns downward, as describedin the foregoing.

This invention is applicable not only to machines employing stationarywinding stations but also to the types of multiple rotary windingstation machines described in copending applications Serial No. 675,758and Serial No. 675,677, filed August l, l957, both now abandoned.

The scope of this invention includes modifications of the embodimentsshown Within the terms, meaning, and intent of the claims annexed.

I claim:

l. An apparatus for rewinding a textile thread from a conically woundsupply coil onto a rotatable spool, comprising means for carrying out ajoining operation to join the thread wound on the `spool to the threadof the supply coil, said supply coil having a reserve winding attachedto the main body of thread on said coil and wound around the tip of saidcoil, said means including suction tube means for pulling off a threadend portion from said reserve winding on the supply coil in the axialdirection of the coil, over the end of the coil, contact meansmechanically joined with and extending forwardly of said suction tubemeans in a radially inward direction so as to bear against the thread onthe coil at a point a distance removed from said tip and with sufficientforce to limit the length of thread pulled olf by said suction tubemeans, means for positioning the coil carrying said thread against whichsaid contact means is bearing so that a component of the weight of `saidcoil produces at least part of said force, the engaging pressure of thecontact means being such that the thread cannot be pulled off beyond thepoint of engagement during such engagement.

2.. An apparatus for rewinding a textile filament from a conically woundcop onto a rotatable spool, comprising a filament tying device, means toreturn a filament end from the spool toward the filament tying device,means to receive a filament carrying cop and to support it while thefilament is unwound therefrom onto the spool, a magazine to position anumber of filament carrying cops, means to supply one of said cops fromthe magazine to the receiving means, stationed suction tube meanspositionable in a predetermined location to suck and remove a filamentend from said one cop before placing the cop in unwinding position inthe apparatus, said cop having a reserve winding attached to the mainbody of thread thereon and wound around the tip of said cop, contactmeans mechanically joined with and extending forwardly of said suctiontube means in a radially inward direction so as to bear against theuppermost conically wound layer of filament on said one cop, at a pointadjacent to but somewhat removed from said tip to limit during thebearing engagement of said contact means the length of filament endremoved by the stationed suction tube means, the engaging pressure ofsaid contact means against said filament being such that the filamentcannot be withdrawn by said suction tube means beyond the point ofengagement, the stationed suction tube means being adapted to ready theremoved filament end for a subsequent tying operation, and means to findthe filament then in the ready position and to move it toward the tyingdevice, said magazine being so shaped and positioned relative to saidcontact means when said suction tube means is at said predeterminedlocation such that the weight of at least said one cop provides at leasta portion of said engaging pressure.

3. An apparatus for rewinding a textile filament from a cop havingconical thread layers onto a rotatable spool, comprising a rotatablefilament guiding element adjacent the spool, the turning of the guidingelement also turning the spool, a filament tying device, the directionof rotation of the guiding element being reverisble, to return afilament end, movable suction applying means to suck a filament end soreturned and to move the said filament end toward the filament tyingdevice, means to receive a filament carrying cop and to support it whilethe filament is unwound therefrom onto the spool, a magazine to positiona number of filament carrying cops, means to supply one of said copsfrom the magazine to the receiving means, suction tube meanspositionable at a predetermined location to suck and remove a filamentend from the conical thread layers on said one cop positioned in themagazine, before placing the cop in unwinding position in the apparatus,said cop having a reserve winding attached to the main body of threadthereon and wound around the tip of said cop, contact means mechanicallyjoined with and extending forwardly of said suction tube means in aradially inward direction so as to lbear upon the filament on thelast-Wound conical layer of said one cop, at a point adjacent to butsomewhat removed from said tip to limit during the bearing engagement ofsaid contact means the length of filament and removed by the positionedsuction means, the engaging pressure of said contact means against saidfilament being such that the filament cannot be Withdrawn by saidsuction tube means beyond the point of engagement, the positionedsuction means being adapted to ready the removed lament end for asubsequent tying operation, and second movable suction means movableinto position to find the filament then in the ready position and tomove it toward the tying device, said magazine comprising means forpositioning said one cop against which said contact means is bearing sothat a component of the weight of said one cop produces at least part ofsaid force.

4. An apparatus for rewinding a textile filament from a conically woundcop onto a rotatable spool, comprising a rotatable filament guidingelement adjacent the spool, the turning of the guiding element alsoturning the spool, a filament tying device, the direction of rotation ofthe guiding element being reversible to return a filament end,

movable suction applying means to suck a filament end so returned and tomove the said filament end toward the filament tying device, means toreceive a filament carrying cop and to support it while the filament isunwound therefrom onto the spool, said cop having a reserve windingattached to the main body of thread thereon and wound around the tip ofsaid cop, a magazine to position a stack of filament carrying cops in anupwardly-downwardly extending position, means to supply one of said copsyfrom the magazine to the receiving means, suction tube meanspositionable at a predetermined location to suck and remove an upperfilament end from said reserve winding on said one cop while the latteris positioned in the magazine, before placing the cop in unwindingposition in the apparatus, contact means mechanically joined with andextending forwardly of said suction tube means in a radially inwarddirection so as to bear against the filament on said one cop at a pointadjacent to but somewhat below the upper filament end thereof beingsucked off said tip and to limit the length of filament end removedtherefrom by the positioned suction means, said magazine being so shapedand positioned relative to said contact means When said suction tubemeans is at said predetermined location such that part of the weight ofthe stack presses said one cop against the contact means, the positionedsuction means readying the removed filament end for a subsequent tyingoperation, and second movable suction applying means movable intoposition to find the filament then in the ready position and to move ittoward the tying device. 5. In an automatic machine for processing atextile filament taken from a filament-supplying conically wound coilstationed thereon, which coil is automatically replaced when depleted'bya replenishing filament coil having a starting end disposed in the formof turns on an end thereof, an automatic filament end tying device totie said starting end to an end of the filament removed from thedepleted coil, a suction nozzle positioned to seize and withdraw thestarting end of the filament of the replenishing coil, means to readysaid replenishing coil into position Within range of the suction nozzleso that said starting end may be so seized, means to move thereplenishing filament coil and its seized starting end to apredetermined ready position `so that the seized end is stationed inreadiness for removal to a subsequent filament end tying operation,means for subsequently removing said starting end from saidpredetermined ready position to the tying device, and abutment meansmechanically joined with and extending forwardly of said suction nozzlein a radially inward direction so as to engage the outermost conicallywound layer of said coil with a force sufficient to limit the amount ofyarn withdrawn from the coil into said suction nozzle, said means toready the replenishing coil comprising means for positioning said coilso that a component of the weight of said coil produces at least part ofsaid force.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGermany Jan. 22, 1,930

